3 teens, 1 armed, arrested at Light Up Ocala event

Sunday

Nov 24, 2013 at 5:35 PM

Just blocks from the downtown event where the teens were arrested, an unrelated fatal shooting left Ramone Mike, 27, dead.

By Joe CallahanStaff writer

Three teenagers, one carrying a concealed firearm, were arrested Saturday evening on the downtown square during the annual “Light Up Ocala.”Officials noted that the arrests were not related to rumors circulating earlier on Facebook that warned of impending violence during the annual Christmas event.Police tried to quell the rumors on Friday, but the Facebook chatter continued into Saturday, said Ocala Police Lt. Billy Woods. It escalated again after an unrelated fatal shooting just blocks from downtown.Police increased security at Light Up Ocala and confronted three juveniles, whose names were not released. One juvenile was arrested and charged with one count each of carrying a concealed firearm, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and giving false name to law enforcement, according to Woods.Another teenager was charged with possession of a controlled substance, while a third was charged with a trespass after warning charge.Because of the Facebook rumors, the Marion County Sheriff's Office also beefed up patrol near Cloud 9, a south U.S. 441 club.While on patrol, authorities pulled over a black Toyota with a Tennessee license plate in the Cloud 9 parking lot.The driver, identified as Leo Cox III, 31, ran off and was quickly apprehended by another deputy, reports state.As Cox ran, he dropped a black sock containing an assortment of drugs, a cell phone and cigars, reports state.Cox was arrested on one count each of possession of cocaine with the intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine with intent the to sell, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, possession of prescription drugs without a prescription, resisting arrest without violence, and driving with a suspended or revoked driver's license.Saturday's fatal shooting occurred 12 blocks from downtown just before the 4 p.m. Light Up Ocala.In that shooting, an argument between two men along Southwest Fifth Street left Ramone Mike, 27, dead.The alleged shooter, Jarrett Davis, 25, was not arrested. The State Attorney's Office will review the case to determine whether Davis should be charged.Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.